“Thank you. Thank you. Thank you … for standing up for me.” His voice was muffled against her neck. Not wanting the knight to feel embarrassed or ashamed of his tears, she used her powers to absorb the small pearls of distress and revelled in the now familiar warmth as she reached out to heal his poor battered face. She was just finishing on the last cracked rib when he jumped back.
“Max! What are you doing?” He asked, touching his face.
She shrugged, “Fixing your boo boos.”
He lifted the hem of his black tee shirt and treated her to a view of his fine, washboard abs. “You don’t need to be wasting your energy on the likes of me.” He stated, but the relief in his voice was obvious.
She shrugged, “No biggie. I’ve got energy to burn now since Cali and Di shared their go-juice with me!” She blew a kiss to said ladies but to her surprise didn’t receive a kiss back, or a wink, or even a smile. Instead, all seven paladins obscurely gripped their left forearms right where their coat of arms would be had they been bonded in an Order before bringing them to their chest and bowing their heads.
Weird!
Max thought but before she could puzzle out their strange antics Lark stepped forward still grasping his left arm, head tilted in deference, but his green eyes were like flashing emeralds as they made contact with hers.
“I hereby swear fealty to you Max, Warden of Life. I pledge finite service, protection, loyalty and honour to you, my liege and my Order. This is my solemn wish and I do so freely without reservation.”
“Say what now?” Her heart was beating hard and fast in her chest and she could hear her pulse pounding in her ears. Did he just say what she thought he just said? Did he just do what she thought he just did?
“I did just say what you think I just said. I did just do what you think I just did.” Lark smiled gently, “You’re talking out loud again, sweetheart.” He stood tall now, masculine face proud and blemish free, “I have just sworn to be your paladin … if you will accept my service, my liege.”
She could manage no more than a small incoherent squeak but it didn’t seem to matter as Beyden took one step forward and spoke; “I hereby swear fealty to you Max, Warden of Life. I pledge finite service, protection, loyalty and honour to you, my liege and my Order. This is my solemn wish and I do so freely without reservation.”
As if in a procession Axel, Cali, Diana and Darius all stepped forward one by one to repeat those clearly sacred vows. Feeling adrift, she sought out the one thing she knew would be her anchor. Ryker’s head wasn’t bowed nor was he holding onto his faded coat of arms. He offered no heavy words, just stared at her with a fusion of admiration and desire. She found herself just as ensnared with him as she was with the shining moment. The moment where all these wonderful people were pledging their very lives in service of her.
She was going to have a family.
Her joy burst from her, unrestrained and unchecked as a smile split her face wide, dimpling her left cheek. That seemed to be sufficient to tip Ryker from admiration to full blown desire and she watched in fascination as his brown eyes darkened almost to black and his nostrils flared wide. He stormed forward and snatched her up, tossing her over his shoulder as he sprinted into the house and up the stairs. She heard a variety of wolf whistles and vulgar suggestions before she was tipped dizzily right side up and pushed firmly against a flat surface.
TWENTY-NINE
“Stop … stop!” She pushed but it was like trying to move a mountain. “You can’t just pick me up like some Neanderthal and drag me back to your cave!”
“I can’t?” The cocky bastard reached out deliberately and cupped her breasts. “But you haven’t held up your end of the bargain.” His fingers flexed.
Do not arch! Do not arch!
“What bargain?” Why did her voice sound so breathy like that?
“You were supposed to sit on my face.”
“Wha?” The slurred syllable was all she was able to stutter out as Ryker abruptly dropped to his knees and took a firm grip on her hips. His mouth covered her cotton-clad crotch and instead of acting as a barrier to her pleasure, it heightened it. He opened his mouth and exhaled hard, causing heat to spread over her most private parts. She felt her knees buckle and she was gently lowered to the floor. Although her mind was rapidly beginning to be overcome by a haze of lust, she had just enough presence of mind to speak;
“I’m not going to put you in a position to hurt me again.”
Ryker paused his sexy ministrations and she felt herself falling into the abyss of his brown eyes. “You’re safe with me, sweetheart. I promise.” Then he kissed her and Max knew it was all over.
The removal of clothes was almost perfunctory, a task he seemed intent on but made no attempt to pretty up for seduction. Once they were both naked, he threw her onto the bed before rolling on a condom and following her down. His lips joined hers in a slow thorough tease as his thick fingers tested her readiness. Lifting her legs and encouraging her to wrap them around his hips, he seized her waist before pausing at her moist entrance. She thought he might tease her or at least attempt some form of foreplay but it seemed he was a knight on a mission, albeit an apparently patient one.
He took his time entering her, his thick shaft stretching her delicate inner muscles exquisitely. She was so sensitised she swore she could feel every ridge, every vein on his glorious prick as he slowly but surely shuttled into her depths. When she felt him bump against her cervix and knew he could go no further, she figured he would start fucking her into oblivion to prove who was boss. But he didn’t. No, he pulled out excruciatingly slowly until only the thick head remained before slamming back into her with an intensity that had her back arching and heels digging grooves into his arse cheeks. He then proceeded to repeat the process over and over and over again. Max gasped and panted her way through the onslaught, struggling to breathe and retain some semblance of sanity in the light of his claiming. For that is surely what this was – a claiming. The knowledge both thrilled and terrified at the same time.
His thrusts increased in strength and intensity but never in speed and he didn’t try to get fancy by playing with her nipples or her clit or even her tonsils. He just gripped her hips to better guide him to her willing core and sucked up bites on her neck. On her part, she made sure to keep her head buried in his neck, unwilling to see the truth in his eyes because she was still holding on to a smidgeon of self-preservation and doubt. She felt him shift slightly, his angle changing just enough that he was now hitting that elusive spot inside of her on every downward stroke.
“Give it up, baby.” The sexual sadist on top of her growled roughly, sending shivers of anticipation down her body.
She shook her head; no way was it going to be that easy. Apparently that wasn’t the correct response for Ryker broke her stranglehold on his back and brought her arms up above her head, holding both wrists in one strong hand. He stared down at her intently, brown eyes shining feverishly with desire and determination before clutching her hair roughly with his other hand. She gasped out a keening moan as his wrenching fingers caused her scalp to tingle deliciously.
“I said …
give it to me
.”
His wish; her command apparently, for she instantly felt her body coil tighter before exploding in an orgasm of epic proportions. She screamed and felt the air thicken with power and colours once again. She spared a second to be grateful for not blowing anything up before her vision dimmed and she maybe, sort of, kind of, passed out from pure bliss.
THIRTY
Even though he just had the most intense orgasm of his life, Ryker remained hard and firmly seated inside of his feisty warden. He leaned down to nuzzle the mark his teeth had made on her neck, “You didn’t claim me.”
“Hmm?” The sleepy reply made him smile. It seemed he had found a way to shut that smart mouth of hers – screw her into unconsciousness. She was draped across his chest, her feet tucked under his calves, hair splayed over his pecks as her fingers traced lazy patterns across his skin. He ran his hands over her back from nape to thigh, revelling in the warmth of her skin.
“I claimed you but you didn’t claim me.” He continued.
“I didn’t realise I was supposed to.” She answered but didn’t raise her head.
“Of course you were supposed to, woman! You’re mine!”
“Even though relationships between wardens and paladins are against the rules?” Her voice was muffled against his chest.
“Do I look like the type of person that gives a rat’s arse about rules?” He asked in derision.
Her head rolled from side to side in the negative. “I guess not. You really want to be my man, boyfriend, knight or whatever?”
“I do.” He was resolved. He had been a walking disaster for the last fifty years but had somehow been given the miracle that was Max. There was no way he was letting her go. He may be slow on the uptake but once he made up his mind it was permanent.
“Why? Because you’ve suddenly decided you want me to be your own personal warden?”
Ryker tightened his arms around her and rocked his still hard dick firmly inside her, eliciting a delightful mewl from his red head. “No. Because you call Darius
dude
, and cook special meals just for Beyden. Because you stand up for the rights of wardens you don’t even know and talk to slater bugs. Because you defend the honour of a too-honourable man and heal the scars of a wounded face … and a wounded soul.” He gripped all that lovely thick red hair in his fist and tilted her head back so he could look into her exotic eyes. “Because you belong to me and I belong to you.”
She stared into his eyes for a long time. “Okay. I’ll think about it.” She pecked him on the lips and snuggled back into his chest like a lizard sunning on a rock.
She’d think about it?
He supposed he deserved that after the last time they had been together and he had practically ripped her heart out of her chest. He would give her time, it’s not like she was going anywhere now. As soon as they were able he was going to make sure he bonded to her as one of her personal paladins. In the meantime, perhaps he needed to lighten the mood a bit.
“I read your books.” Ah, that got her full attention. She pushed herself up so her chin was resting on her hands. Her gorgeous eyes were sleepy and satisfied still, and her hair was a mess. She had a hickey on her neck from where he had marked her … and she was the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. His heart did a ridiculous flip as it decided to join the party. That was the one thing he had left out of his monologue.
He was pretty sure he was in love with her.
“You did?”
“Huh?” Her new position lodged him more fully inside the haven of her body and he struggled to stay on track.
“You said you read my graphic novels …”
“Right.” Focus man. “Lark has them all, so I borrowed them. You know he’s going to ask you to autograph them.” He smiled. “He’s such a dork.”
Max’s smile was content, “He already did.”
Ryker sighed, “Of course he did. Way to play it smooth, Lark.”
“What did you think of them?”
“I thought they were interesting and sexy and fun and deliciously violent.” He punctuated each praise with a kiss.
She actually giggled and the carefree sound made his heart soar. He knew she hadn’t had many opportunities to be carefree. “I also saw some of your sketches sitting on the bench in the kitchen.”
That made her freeze. “You did?” She gulped.
“Yep.” He smoothed his palm over a rounded globe. “I saw the drawing of me; shirtless, scarred face, sickle in hand … and the speech bubble above it saying
‘blah! blah! blah!’
” He gave her butt a sharp pinch.
“Ouch!” She jumped but her eyes continued to sparkle. “Well, they say write what you know. And that’s what I hear when you talk most of the time.”
He groaned and threw his arm over his face. That was most likely the truth – he was such a douche!
“Did you really like them?”
Hearing the shyness in her tone, Ryker rolled them both to their side and pushed her thick hair behind her ears. “I really liked them. You’re a skilled story teller and an amazing artist. And I’m clearly not the only one who thinks so. You’ve hit some best seller lists in the past haven’t you?” Ryker knew she had. He had googled her the second she had told them all her pen name. She actually had a huge cult following.
“I’m glad. They’re like my legacy, you know?”
“Your legacy?” He asked. “Max, you’re a guardian to every human emotion and human body on the planet. The world rotating on its axis is your freaking legacy.”
She shrugged, causing her breasts to jiggle invitingly and Ryker to lick his lips. “But I didn’t know that before. I had no chance at a life, a home, friends, family. My work was going to be my proof.”
“Proof of what?”
“That I was here.” The four simple words darn near broke his heart all over again. The organ sure was getting a workout recently.
“Well, that’s not something you have to worry about anymore. Now you have a family of seven knights and an entire society who are going to remember you. You’re going to leave your stamp on the world itself.”
Her smile started out slow but grew bigger until he couldn’t help kissing her lone dimple. She questioned; “Did you all really mean it? You want to be my paladins?”
“They meant it.
I
meant it. I’ve had my head up my arse for a long time. Losing Flint and my Order broke something vital inside of me. To watch them all fall one by one knowing I was responsible … I lost the will to fight, the will to guard. I knew I couldn’t be responsible for another warden again. But from the moment I saw you, I knew you were supposed to be mine – ours. I felt the connection and I know the others did too. I’ve just been too cowardly to admit it.”
“But you’re not anymore?” She didn’t sound convinced and Ryker could hardly blame her given his past actions. But he would make her believe if it took him the next hundred years because he was not giving her up.
“No more running. No more hiding … for either of us.” He said and lowered his head to capture her lips in a slow deep kiss filled with promise, lust and love. Max moaned and arched her back, wrapping her arms and legs around him like an octopus. He felt her nails scrape across his back and he hissed as the painful pleasure caused a bolt of electricity to shoot straight to his erect dick. He rolled so she was perched on top of him once again and gave her free reign to explore at her leisure. And explore she did, from sucking and biting at his barred nipples, to tracing his trail of hair from his belly button all the way down to Mr Happy where they were still joined. He let out a groan of denial as Max suddenly withdrew from him but quickly changed his tune as her dirty, talented little mouth attempted to lure him to the dark side.